HISTORY BEHIND THE EVENT

Back in 2004 along with a colleague – Freda Davies, Alan Crowe organised the Welshpool Winter Festival with a 1940s theme on behalf of the then Welshpool Partnership. This proved highly successful and a smaller event was held in 2005 to mark the 60th Anniversary of VE VJ Day.

In 2015 as part of the 70th Anniversary of VE VJ Day Alan organised another 1940s day as part of a programme of events to mark the occasion. It was put to him that the 40s day was better than a number of first events of many similar ones that have been going for a number of years. Taking this on board, without any funding or major support he organised a significantly bigger and better 1940s weekend in 2016 which looks set to grow bigger, better & stronger year by year.

Having taken it as far as he could single handed, Alan recruited the different helpers and supporters of the event to form a committee to help with the general organising of the event and the fund raising activities that are staged to make the main weekend happen.

You are invited to join us

Planning is underway for Welshpool 1940s weekend 2018 to be held from 28th – 30th September inclusive. So get yourselves ready to transport yourself back to the 1940s and imagine you are in a small town were evacuated children are arriving from the major industrial towns of the North West, soldiers are going back to barracks after being on leave, aircrew are heading off to airfields of Shropshire. So in the words of the song “Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag, and smile, smile, smile.”

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the weekend in British 1940’s period dress, either military or civilian. German uniforms will be allowed as part of living history displays. Firearms of any sort, replica or de-activated will NOT be allowed in the town centre.

What to Expect

A light hearted look at life in a small rural town in the 1940s. As you walk around the town, you will be captivated by Re-Enactors and Entertainers in period costume, vintage vehicle displays, trade stands, music and dancing; all with a 1940’s theme. There will also be special activities for children.

What the papers say....

A TOWN turned back the clock to commemorate the 1940s during a three day event. thousands of people flocked to Welshpool for the nostalgic event over the weekend.

There was a host of entertainment throughout the event, which began on Friday, including the Spirit of Blitz Variety Show, the Blitz Ball and Military Wives choir concert.

People came dressed in military and 1940s attire, and there were lots of vintage traders, craft stalls, ex-service charities, and military displays to entertain visitors.

A Spitfire was on static display in the town centre with members of the public allowed to get into the cockpit of the aircraft. Organiser Alan Crowe hailed the event a success despite Saturday’s wet weather. “It went very well. We had a capacity crowd at the variety show on Friday, and the ball on Saturday and the concert on Sunday was sold out,” he said. “There must have been several thousand people there. It was great to see so many people dressed in military outfits.”

The Shropshire Star by James Pugh

Letter of the Week

WE WOULD just like to pass our comments on to the local press about the wonderful Forties event that we attended last weekend in Welshpool.

We are very much into vintage and the 1940s and travel up and down the country for various events whenever our commitments allow.

The Welshpool Forties weekend has all of the ingredients to make it right up there with the best weekends in the vintage calendar. It was very well organised by a very small group of locals.